Sun Safety

When the weather turns warm, we spend at least half of the day outside. There are a few things that we simply can't live without in the summer.

I am a stickler for sun safety. I know too many sun worshipers who have had skin cancer or had cancerous moles removed. As a teenager/young adult, I had several bad sunburns accompanied by sun poisoning. My parents never pushed sunscreen, but I most certainly am a sunscreen mama!

I realize there are some people who are against sunscreen, and think it's worse for you than the sun, but I've researched it, and I feel that sunscreen is right for my family. I also trust the judgement of our pediatric dermatologist, and he recommends sunscreen.

My most favorite new sunblock is Neutrogena Pure & Free Baby Sunblock SPF 60+. I first heard of it when I did a campaign for it, at BzzAgent. Most baby sunscreens irritate Lexie's eczema/sensitive skin, but this one works wonders for her. It doesn't irritate her eczema, is non-greasy, and it really protects her skin. I have some in my diaper bag at all times.

I often use the baby sunblock on Dylan as the first base. For reapplications, I currently use Banana Boat Kids Continuous Spray Sunscreen. I'm not brand loyal for him...I just stick with a kid's sunscreen with a high SPF. I use what he uses, because I don't want to buy 3 different sunscreens! ;)

I use the Banana Boat Kids Sunscreen stick for faces, and Banana Boat Sunscreen Lip Balm for their lips. Everybody gets "sunscreened up" about a half hour before we head outside. I reapply every hour.

For extra protection, I push the hats and sunglasses rule. Dylan is happy to oblige. Lexie...not so much! I bought her the cutest sun hat from Old Navy, but it only lasts about 10 minutes before it gets thrown to the ground. Any tips? ;)

I wear a daily face lotion with SPF, even in the winter. If I'm spending hours in the sun, I also use a sunscreen formulated for the face, in a higher SPF. I wear sunglasses all the time-the bigger the better! I'm 29, and still wrinkle-free, so I'm sticking with it!

As for the vitamin D deficiency argument, I feel that my kids get plenty of exposure in the winter, when we skip the sunscreen, or the few minutes they get in the sun without sunscreen, while running errands.

We are often inside during the peak afternoon hours, due to Lexie needing a nap. While we are outside, I make sure my kids drink plenty of water.

I also keep the fridge stocked with "Huggies" (that would Little Hugs, for those of you not from Pittsburgh) and Popsicles. With a plethora of nieces and nephews, there always seems to be somebody stopping by to play. It's my personal belief that these items make summer more fun for them. :) And, keep them hydrated!